Bicycle
Touring FAQ

(Frequently Asked
Questions)

Bicycle touring is all about choices, whether to tour
supported or unsupported, with a group or solo, staying in motels or camping,
etc.Many of these choices are dictated by
time and budget constraints but they are still choices.The goal of this FAQ is simply to acquaint
the new tourer with the variety of choices so one is
better prepared to make appropriate choices.Of course, this FAQ cannot hope to cover every possible touring
topic.Instead the intent is to identify
the basic issues and provide references to allow the reader to further research
this topic.

Check
out the phred touring list touring bicycle
survey at http://www.cyclingaway.com/Touring/Survey2005.This survey lists 187 bicycles used by
members of the phred touring list for
touring.It contains a wealth of
information about the bicycles used and how they are equipped with
gearing, panniers, etc.The data is
listed in both tabular form and summary form for various categories such
as frames, gearing, saddles, wheels, racks, panniers, etc.

As the third item in the above list suggests, the phred touring list is an excellent resource for getting
more detailed information about bicycle touring.After reading this FAQ, you will probably
want to sign up for this touring list at http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/touring
or you can read the archives at http://www.phred.org/pipermail/touring/
to get a sense for what the touring list is about.Initially you may simply want to “lurk”,
getting a feel for the topics and the list contributors while learning about
bicycle touring through this FAQ, online resources, and other sources of
information.Then you will be in a
position to ask informed questions on the list that list members will be happy
to help answer.

Note that the touring list has a
search capability at http://search.bikelist.org/.Since many topics get discussed multiple
times, it is considered good etiquette to first search the archives to see if a
topic has been previously discussed before posing a question to the list.

Warning:if/when you sign up for the touring list,
please understand YOU control signing on to the list AND removing
yourself from the list.Too often
people sign up for the list and later send a request to the list to get themselves removed, forgetting the sign-on instructions that
tell them clearly how to remove themselves.Please don’t embarrass yourself (and irritate list members) by failing
to note these simple instructions…You
can remove yourself (unsubscribe) from the list at http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/touring.

Caveat:With
apologies to our international touring friends, this FAQ, while largely
geographically independent, contains references to some equipment that will be
found mostly in North America.

Why tour?

There are a host of reasons why cyclists tour but none of
these have to be your reasons – you don’t need a reason or justification for
why you want to tour.In fact, it just
may be something you think might be interesting to try and that’s reason
enough.Just beware
that touring can be addictive…

Here are some reasons why cyclists
tour:

-to see the
country.In some respects, touring is
the perfect way to see the country, whether it’s your country or someone
else’s.Too often in a motorized vehicle
you are forced to travel too quickly and miss the opportunity to spend time
truly appreciating the country.On a
bike, however, you are limited by how fast you can proceed and are likely to
gain a better appreciation, especially when you have to earn your view through
your own efforts.And it’s usually easy
to stop whenever a sight deserves a longer view.

-to experience other
people and cultures.Cyclists,
especially solo cyclists, are more likely to be approached by locals since
people are naturally curious why you do what you do.This leads to interactions that might never
take place otherwise.Some tourers value the personal interactions of a tour as their
most valued experience.

-to share with
others.For friends, families, or
significant others, touring can be a time for bonding and improving
relationships through shared experiences (but you can’t force others to want to
tour).

-to vacation
inexpensively.Although touring can be
expensive, with 4-star hotels and restaurants, it doesn’t have to be that
way.Aside from some initial investment
in a bicycle and camping equipment, which you may already have or can purchase used, living expenses can be very minimal.You have to eat whether at home or on the
road and eating on the road doesn’t have to cost much
more than at home if you are willing to cook.Camping accommodations can be inexpensive– campgrounds (not always
inexpensive), city parks, people’s back yards, or a forest.

-for a sense of
adventure and accomplishment.For many tourers, particularly first-time tourers,
touring can be a challenge – “Can I do this.”Many a tourer has started on a demanding tour
with the question “Can I really do this” or “Am I crazy to do this” only to be
surprised at how capable they are at handling day-to-day life on a tour.

-to gain
perspective.In today’s high-pressure
modern society, people often feel trapped in their day-to-day existence.Touring can remove folks from these pressures
by forcing them to focus on the simple basics of living on the road.On long, multi-week tours, the endless miles
of cycling have a way of engendering time for thought that may not happen
otherwise.It’s not uncommon for a tourer to find a tour a life changing experience.

-to have fun.To see the country, meet new and interesting
folks, share experiences with your friends/family, and experience a sense of
adventure can all make a tour an unforgettable experience.

What kind of
touring can I do?

There are various styles of touring.Some of the interesting choices are:

1.supported vs. credit
card vs. unsupported (loaded).In the
supported style, someone else transports your belongings to your next stop
while you ride with just enough equipment/clothing to get you through the
day.Typically, the
someone else is a company that organizes a tour for a fee and this is
part of their service.Sometimes,
however, a group organizes its own tour and uses a van to transport belongings
everyday.By contrast, an unsupported
tour is one where the cyclist transports all of his/her own belongings with the
bicycle, using either panniers (saddlebags) or a trailer towed behind the
bicycle.A credit card tour is typically
meant to be a minimalist tour where a cyclist takes relatively little
equipment/supplies but instead uses a credit card and stays at accommodations
along the way.

2.group vs. solo.One very important touring choice is whether
to go solo or with a group.Group
touring has some obvious benefits – companionship, safety, shared equipment,
etc.Some cyclists would only consider
group touring but beware that the choice of companions is very important,
especially on a long tour.There is a
risk of disharmony created by a dysfunctional group.By contrast, a solo tour skirts this problem
(just be sure you like yourself…) at the cost of companionship and the help of
others.Usually solo tourers
prefer their style because it gives them complete freedom for their tour.Solo tourers are
also often more approachable by strangers, leading to more frequent encounters
with locals and other travelers that can be a highlight of a tour.But whether to tour with a group or solo is a
very personal decision that everyone needs to decide for themselves.

3.motels vs.
camping.Whether to stay in motels or
camp out along the way is often dictated by budget as well as comfort.The advantage of camping, in addition to
being less expensive, is that it usually gives more freedom.With motels, a tourer
must end a day where a motel exists and has a vacancy – not always easy in some
out-of-the-way places.By contrast,
camping allows a much wider choice.The tourer might stay at a campground, city
park, someone’s backyard, or in a forest.However, even when camping, there are days
when a motel option is priceless, usually due to inclement weather.So if camping is used to save money, it is
still a good idea to budget for some occasional motel forays.

4.cooking vs. eating
out.Cooking one’s own meals is another
option often chosen to reduce expenses versus the more expensive eating out
option.Both options introduce their own
planning requirements.Cooking requires
periodic grocery shopping whereas eating out requires accessibility to
restaurants, which can be an issue in some out-of-the-way places.Even when eating out it’s always a good idea
to carry extra food for emergency situations where a restaurant may not be
available.

5.short vs. long.This has two dimensions – the length of a
trip and the length of a day.Some folks
prefer short days with a lot of side trips along the way whereas others truly
enjoy just riding the bike.To some tourers, a short day might mean 40 miles and a long day
might mean 80+ miles.Keep in mind,
however, that terrain/weather can greatly affect what could be a reasonable day
on a bike.80 flat miles could be a
piece of cake compared to 40 miles of climbing.As for the length of a trip, this is likely to be greatly influenced by
time & money constraints.Most tourers are likely bound by a job and limited vacation
time, although some folks quit their jobs or negotiate for extended time off to
pursue their dream of a cross-country tour.

These are some various parameters that factor into the
planning for a tour.There is nothing
right or wrong about any of these parameters.They are just some of the choices that need to be considered.

Is it safe to tour
alone?

Many new tourers, particularly
women and minorities, are concerned whether it is safe to tour alone.This is a natural reaction for a new tourer.Touring is
like any other life activity – there is always some element of risk and there
are some things you can do to minimize whatever risk exists.However, most tourers
find through experience that the fears of imagined troubles that could happen
on a solo tour are largely unfounded.

There are two aspects to touring safety – general safety and
personal safety.General safety includes
problems with equipment failure, accidents, etc.For equipment failure, the best protection is
to have your equipment in good condition at the start of the tour and be
capable of making typical repairs such as flat tires, broken cables, etc.The more self-reliant you are the more
confident and comfortable you will be.For other general safety problems, you may well have to rely on the
kindness of strangers to help and you will be surprised how helpful strangers
will prove to be.Note
that this general safety issue when solo touring isn’t a whole lot different
than other forms of solo traveling.If traveling by motor vehicle alone and a breakdown occurs, you are
going to have to get help unless you have tools and are mechanically inclined
and can repair the problem yourself.

However, most safety concerns with solo touring probably
focus on the issue of personal safety.It is easy to imagine all kinds of horrors as you pedal down a lonely
road.The truth of the matter, however,
is that you are often safer on the road despite the feeling of vulnerability
than you are in a large metropolitan area.When you are on the road, most strangers will admire your adventurous
spirit and courage even if they don’t understand why you do what you do and can
never see themselves doing it.It is surprising how often total strangers
will help with problems, pay for your meal in a restaurant, let you camp on
their property, or invite you into their homes.

Since much of the personal safety concern comes from fear of
the unknown, a good way to overcome this fear is to tour.Start with some short tours to gain comfort
in dealing with your equipment and just being on the road by yourself.You may also want to make your first tour or
two a group tour until you gain this feeling of comfort.

Of course, there is always some risk with any life activity
and there are a few things you can do to minimize whatever risk there is.First, do your homework and trust your
instincts.Avoid areas that might be
troublesome.If you have doubts about an
area, pose the question to the phred touring list
before the tour and see if anyone shares your concern.If your instincts warn you that a camping
area is unsafe, bypass it.You can
usually find another campsite somewhere – in the wild, on someone’s property
(after asking permission), or find a motel.Next, be vague about your travel plans when on the road.You don’t need to tell someone that you will
be camping 5 miles down the road or exactly where you are headed, especially if
you feel uncomfortable.And you can hint
that you “check in” with family members daily so you are not totally
alone.Last, you may want to carry
pepper spray or other defensive spray and a cellular phone (but beware that
cellular phone coverage can be spotty – see later question on keeping in
touch).It’s unlikely you will need
these (but a cellular phone can be useful for other reasons) but the sense of
comfort may be worthwhile.

Last, if you really can’t shake the fear of solo touring,
you may have to depend on group touring.If you are only considering solo touring because you have no companion,
you could solicit for one on the phred touring list
or advertise in Adventure Cycling’s monthly magazine’s Companions Wanted
section.You could also read tour
reports of others.Many tourers have travelogues on the Internet and reading these
reports will show you what difficulties/problems they have encountered and how
they dealt with them.See How can I find out about the touring experience of others?.

What kind of
bicycle do I need for touring?

The short answer to this question is – a touring
bicycle.A touring bicycle is designed
to accommodate the special needs of touring.By comparison to a typical road bicycle:

it has
a stronger frame to handle pannier loads of 50+ pounds

it has
a longer wheel base for more comfort and stability on long rides

it has
a longer chainstay (distance from rear wheel to
pedals) to provide clearance so pedaling doesn’t interfere with the rear
pannier

it has
eyelets for mounting racks and fenders

it has
clearance for bigger tires, typically 700x32 and larger, and room for
fenders

it has
stronger wheels, typically 36 spokes or more, to handle the heavier loads

it has
lower gears, typically 20-100 gear inches, for climbing long hills with
heavy loads

That said, folks tour on many
different kinds of bikes – touring, road, cross, mountain, tandem, and
recumbent.And, of course, if a tour is
an off road adventure then a mountain bike is the bike of choice.Also, where you plan to tour is an important
consideration.Touring in some remote
area may dictate using a steel (chromoly)
bike frame that could be repaired (welded) in the field along with standard
components that bicycle shops are likely to carry.

Some of the more common North American touring bikes are:
the classic Trek 520, Canondale T2000, Fujii Touring, Jamis Aurora,
Co-Motion Americano, Bruce Gordon BLT & Rock n’ Road, NovaraRandonee & Safari, and Rivendell
Atlantis, with prices ranging from $600 to $2800.For more details on these and other touring
bicycles, see http://www.faughnan.com/touringbike.html
and http://touring.anymouse.org.The former is a site (now getting somewhat
dated) devoted to helping folks decide on a commuting bike but touring bikes
make great commuting bikes so touring bikes are covered there.The latter is a new site that provides some
basic information on a variety of touring bikes and has a special link for each
bike that queries the touring archives for comments on a bike.

Finally, the above presumes some form of significant loaded
touring.If, however, you plan to do
supported touring, or what some folks call “credit card touring”, you may not
need a touring bike.A regular road bike
may work just fine.

For more details, see what Adventure Cycling has to
say.Adventure Cycling is an
organization devoted to cycle touring with a monthly touring magazine.Each year AC reviews touring bicycles and you
can see most of their 2002 review online at http://www.adventurecycling.org/library/review.cfm
(search for 2002 touring bike).

And truly finally, keep in mind that a recumbent (reclining)
bicycle is an alternative to the venerable Diamond Frame (DF) or upright
bicycle just described and a number of phred touring
list members are very happy with their recumbent touring bikes.However, compared to the upright bicycle, which
is pretty standardized after some 100 years of development, the recumbent
bicycle offers far more variation.Among
the choices are:

number
of wheels – typically 2 (or it wouldn’t be a bicycle) but also available
with 3 in a tricycle

pannier
mounting – offering more mounting options than just the front/rear options
of an upright bicycle

Probably the real dilemma with a recumbent is how to make
these choices.Ideally, one would ride
the various choices and choose accordingly but it may be difficult to find
riding opportunities.Adventure Cycling
discusses these various recumbent choices for touring recumbent bicycles in
more detail in the July 2002 issue of the Adventure Cyclist magazine.

Keep in mind two very important equipment points regarding a
touring bike.A loaded touring bike
needs:

1.adequate gearing.Many stock touring bicycles come with a
standard gearing of 52/42/30 chainrings, which is
generally too high a gearing for loaded touring on anything but a flat route or
for a very strong cyclist.Generally,
gearing in the 20-100 gear inches (1.6-8.0 meters development for metrics fans)
is recommended for new tourers who may not be
familiar with the demands of loaded touring (experienced tourers
can deviate from this recommendation based on their touring
capabilities/needs).Note that a bicycle
with an 11-32 cassette (small cog of 11 teeth and large cog of 32 teeth),
30/42/52 chainrings gives 25-127 gear inches compared
to 19-108 gear inches for 22/32/44 chainrings.You can use Sheldon Brown’s gearing
calculator (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears)
to determine gear inches.Just select
Gear Inches for the Gear Units and plug in the chainring
and cassette gears and click Calculate.(Select
Meters Development for the Gear Units if you want the European equivalent of
gear inches.)If you prefer, you can
download an Excel gear calculator from Alex Wetmore at http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/index.html.Note that if you determine your gearing needs
prior to purchasing a bicycle, you may be able to negotiate with your dealer to
swap out standard gearing for more practical/appropriate gearing with little or
no change in price.Otherwise, you may
be forced to spend extra for appropriate gearing, and perhaps compromise the
gearing for something less than ideal (such as replacing the 30 with a 26 chainring) in the interest of economy.

2.strong wheels.For loaded touring, 36 spoke wheels are fine
but they must be well-built.Nothing
will stress spokes like a loaded touring bicycle and this stress can cause
spoke breakage.Fixing broken spokes on
the road is no fun so it is best to make sure your wheels are well-built before
you start a tour.If a good wheel
builder has built a wheel, it will stay true virtually forever unless it is
subjected to a catastrophic event, such as hitting a deep pothole at
speed.In brief, a well-built wheel has
equally tensioned spokes all around except for a rear wheel with dish (the
right side spokes are more vertical than the left side) where the freewheel/cassette side spokes require greater tension
since they are more vertical due to the dishing.Then the spokes are “stress relieved”,
meaning that extra tension is temporarily applied to all spokes to force them
to adapt to the hub flange and to the rim eyelet.See Sheldon Brown’s link to wheel building at
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.htmlfor more details.

Where can I
get a touring bicycle?

Unfortunately, touring bicycles are not all that common and
finding one is not always that easy.Of
course, you can always go to your LBS (Local Bicycle Shop).Just be sure that your LBS knows something
about touring bicycles and doesn’t try to sell you something else because it’s
already in the shop.Another option is
contracting with a custom bicycle shop, assuming the shop understands touring
bicycles (not all do).This is likely to
be more expensive but more likely to be a good fit and well equipped for the
needs of touring.Be aware, however,
that some custom shops have long delivery times and the delivery times are
typically not guaranteed.

Expect to pay $1,000+ for an equipped touring bike.If you are not sure touring is for you, you
may want to look for a used touring bike in order to minimize your initial
investment.Ebay
is one place that periodically lists touring bikes, such as the classic Trek
520.Members of the touring list are
often on the lookout for such bicycles on ebay and
will often alert touring list members when something interesting shows up on ebay.

What is
involved in buying a touring bicycle (case study)?

For many new touring cyclists buying a new touring bicycle
can be an involved and somewhat intimidating exercise.This is particularly true if the cyclist
doesn’t have access to a trusted, knowledgeable touring friend or bicycle
shop.Here is a case study of what one
touring cyclist, Karyn, went through when she decided
to purchase a touring bicycle.Fortunately, Karyn consulted with members of
the phred touring list members who responded with a
variety of suggestions and opinions and these interactions are recorded in the
touring archive.This case study starts
with consideration for a Trek 520, a common choice, and branches out to
consider the Heron Touring, Atlantis Rivendell, and
Bruce Gordon BLT touring bicycles.The
case study also covers gearing choices and touches on bike fit, bar-end
shifters, and headlights.This is a
highly recommended read for anyone wanting to gain insight into an important
purchasing decision.

What saddle
works best for touring?

On all but very short tours, you are going to spend a lot of
time in the saddle so a comfortable saddle is paramount.That said, this
topic is very personal and necessarily so.The best saddle is most likely going to be the one that supports your
weight on your so-called sit bones (“ischialtuberosities”).Since everyone’s derriere is different, there isn’t going to be one
saddle that suits everyone equally well.However, many tourers report that they prefer Brooks saddles.That
is because the Brooks is a leather saddle that eventually conforms to one’s
individual posterior.Most Brooks saddles require some break in time with some folks
finding them comfortable virtually right out of the box and others requiring a
considerable break in period of, perhaps, several hundred miles.Although there are a number of Brooks saddle models, the B17 is the most commonly
used.Brooks
saddles also come in spring-mounted versions as well.

So, should you get a Brooks saddle?Although many are very happy, even ecstatic,
with their Brooks saddle, others have tried them and never gotten comfortable
with them.So don’t assume a Brooks will
be right for you just because it is for many others.Any saddle still has to fit you and you
only.Ultimately, you have to find a
saddle that is comfortable for you and that, unfortunately, involves
experimentation.The best bet is to try
many saddles even though this may be somewhat impractical.Ideally, your LBS would allow you to try a
variety of saddles until you find one that works well for you.

Finally, even if a Brooks works well for you, keep in mind
that it is a leather saddle and consequently requires extra care.It requires periodic leather conditioning, Proofide is recommended by Brooks, and it needs to be
covered when not in use in order to keep it from getting wet.However, a well-taken care of Brooks can
last virtually forever.

What kind of shifters
should I use for touring?

The most commonly used shifters for touring are STI (and its
non-Shimano variants), a combined brake/shift integrated level, and bar-end
shifters, although some tourers still use downtube shifters.STI has the advantage of convenience for folks who ride with hands on
the brake hoods, where the shifter is conveniently available.A disadvantage is that it is more complicated
mechanically, limited to index shifting only, and has more limited gearing
option compatibility.By contrast,
bar-end shifters are mechanically simpler, can be used in friction shifting
mode if the indexing fails, and is adaptable to more gearing options.

Bottom line is that many tourers
use STI and bar-end shifters successfully.Initially, the inherent complexity of STI was considered a drawback due
to reliability but time does not appear to have demonstrated any significant
STI reliability problems.Nevertheless,
some folks recommend that tourers carry a downtube shifter for an emergency replacement if STI is
used.STI is not repairable in the field
so the downtube shifter is recommended as a
backup.In the end, this is another
issue, STI vs. bar-end, that is a matter of personal
preference.

Should I use a
mirror?

It may come as a surprise but the use of a mirror is the
subject of considerable debate on the phred touring
list.The debate ranges from one extreme
of “You are risking your life if you don’t use a mirror” to almost the other
extreme of “You are risking your life if you do.”Proponents of mirror use claim that a mirror
allows them to more easily keep tabs on what is happening with traffic around
them because it’s easy to frequently glance at the mirror without disrupting
their riding.They argue that because
they can monitor traffic more easily they can make better traffic-related
decisions.By contrast, cyclists not in
favor of mirror use generally believe the mirror is just another gadget that
falls off, gets in the way, needs adjusting or that the mirror can provide a
false sense of security and can thus be dangerous.In any event, most cyclists suggest it is not
a good idea to rely totally on a mirror – use it as a tool with a final glance
over the shoulder before making any lane position changes.

According to the 2005 touring bike survey (http://www.cyclingaway.com/Touring/Survey2005),
70% use a mirror.Mirrors generally can
be classified by where they are mounted: handlebar, eyeglasses, and helmet, and
the mirror users are fairly evenly split among these 3 categories with
handlebar mirrors a little more popular.Handlebar mirrors do have the advantage that they are typically less in
the way than a mirror that protrudes from eyeglasses/helmet (but sometimes the
rear load on a touring bicycle can partially obscure the rear view of a
handlebar mirror).On the other hand,
eyeglasses/helmet mirror users have a broader view than the fixed handlebar
mirror by rotating their head to scan more background.However, eyeglasses and helmet mounted
mirrors do have one potential problem – some users have difficulty when the
mirror is mounted on the side opposite to the dominant eye.Some cyclists require an adjustment period
before they get comfortable and some never get comfortable (one right-eye
dominant cyclist mounts his helmet mirror on the right and finds the
arrangement works fine for him on right-side travel roads).

So should you use a mirror?Well, a mirror is a fairly inexpensive item so experimenting with one is
a reasonable financial proposition.You
may find a mirror becomes indispensable, as many do, or that the
over-the-shoulder glances work fine for you.

What tools should
I carry on tour?

The answer to this question varies somewhat depending on the
length of tour and its remoteness, i.e., nearness to bicycle shops.If bicycle shops are going to be few and far
between, you have to be more prepared to handle any bicycle problems.The longer a tour is the more likely you are
to run into bicycle problems.It also
makes sense to get your bicycle in tiptop shape before you leave, taking it to
your LBS if necessary.Repairs and
general maintenance are always easier and more convenient when done in the
comfort and safety of your hometown rather than on the road.

First, consider the typical types of problems that are most
likely to happen.Flat tires should be expected
on any length trip and you should be prepared to fix flats, either repairing
the tube or replacing it with a new one.You should always carry a flat tire kit and pump and at least one extra
tube, and probably at least two extra tubes on long trips.A tire boot, something that can be used to
insert inside a tire as a temporary fix to a gashed tire, is useful although a
boot can often be fashioned from something you are already carrying.On long trips you may want to carry an extra
tire in the event of a gashed tire that is not repairable, or you use a tire
size that is not generally available.A
foldable tire with a Kevlar bead (the edge of a tire) is a good choice as it
folds compactly and takes little space.Note that most tires come with a wire bead that prevents a simple fold
of the tire.However, tires with a wire
bead can be folded into 3 rings on top of each other and lashed to a rack or
pannier.See Coiling a Wire Bead
Clincher by Jobst Brandt from the rec.bicycles.* FAQ at http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8b.23.html
for a description of this folding technique.

Next, spoke breakage is a common problem so you should have
extra spokes and the tools to replace a broken spoken.The most difficult spoke break to repair, yet
one of the most frequent, is a cassette/freewheel side rear wheel spoke.This is because the cassette/freewheel must
be removed in order to remove and replace the spoke.If you can get your hands on the PamirHypercracker, a small,
portable device that allows you to remove your cassette, you should jump at the
chance but, unfortunately, this device is no longer made but occasionally still
found in some bicycle shops.An
alternative repair item to consider is the FiberFix
Spoke, which is a Kevlar cord that can be used as a temporary replacement for a
spoke, obviating the need to remove the cassette/freewheel to replace a
cassette side broken spoke.

Brake and shifter cables can always break so you should carry
extra cables and the tools to replace them.

You should carry the tools that will allow you to adjust and
tighten the various nuts and bolts on your bicycle.Touring can be stressful for your bicycle so be prepared to tighten whatever bolts/nuts may come
loose.It is also a good idea to carry
some extra bolts/nuts for replacement on the road.In particular, the bolts used to attach your
racks and fenders are good candidates for extras.

Of course, it goes without saying that it is not enough to
just carry these tools to make these repairs.Either you or a companion must be capable of making these repairs.If you do not know how to handle basic
bicycle repairs, you may want to see if your LBS offers
a course on basic bicycle mechanics.

How do I
transport my belongings on a loaded (unsupported) tour?

There are basically two options.Either equip your bicycle with racks and panniers
(saddlebags) or tow a trailer behind your bicycle.Many cyclists use both methods and both
methods have their advantages and disadvantages.In a nutshell,

Panniers:

best handling
(directly attached to the bike)

more difficult to pack (must balance
load between front and rear and side-to-side)
[Based on a study, Blackburn (the rack manufacturer) recommends 60% weight in
front panniers, which are lower to the ground and hence lower center of
gravity, and 40% in rear panniers but many tourers probably
just approximate a 50/50 split]

all weight is
on the bike requiring a sturdy bike

easy to store
in a tent

Trailers:

easiest to
pack

can cause
some handling problems on downhills (trailing load
effect)

can pack more
load – good when needed, bad when succumbing to temptation to carry more
because space is available

easiest to
“unload” – just disconnect trailer and bike is unloaded for errands/rides

another wheel
type to cope with for maintenance

Note that while trailers are generally easier on the bike
since the load is trailing rather than hanging on the bike, there is some
anecdotal evidence that trailers may cause more rear spoke breakage due to the
sideways torque resulting from the trailer attachment to the rear wheel axle
(for a single-wheeled trailer).Bicycles
with stronger rear triangles appear to handle trailers best.

What racks can I
use for carrying panniers?

Generally, it is recommended to use both front and rear
racks for loaded touring, although some tourers use
only one or the other, particularly for lighter touring loads.Blackburn is
the most common rack used, offering both a low rider front rack (to keep the
front weight as low to the ground as possible) and a rear rack.Tubus racks (http://www.ortliebusa.com/tubus/tubus.html)
are generally considered an upgrade to the Blackburn
as it is made with stronger chromoly tubing (but make
sure your panniers have hooks big enough to fit the 10mm tubing).Jandd (http://www.jandd.com/bikes.asp) also
offers racks and an interesting front rack that offers both a low and medium
height position for the panniers as well as a shelf platform, similar to the
rear rack platform.Note that although
low rider front racks are recommended to provide a low center of gravity, off
road touring may not work with low rider racks when single track riding is
involved.Bruce Gordon (http://www.bgcycles.com/racks.html)
provides high end front and rear racks.Finally, Old Man Mountain provides racks (http://www.oldmanmountain.com/) that
can work with either front or rear suspension or non-suspension.

If you have or plan to purchase a custom touring bicycle,
your custom shop may provide custom racks (and panniers) for your particular
bicycle as well.

What panniers
should I use for loaded touring?

Two important attributes of panniers, aside from size, are
waterproofing and compartmentalization.These attributes are illustrated by Arkel (http://www.arkel-od.com/text_index.html)
and Ortlieb (http://www.ortliebusa.com/index2.html)
panniers, generally considered the top-of-the-line panniers.The Ortlieb
panniers are waterproof with single compartments whereas the Arkel panniers are not waterproof with multiple compartments/pockets.Both are very well made panniers and both
have their devotees.Some tourers prefer to make their panniers waterproof by stowing
their belongings in plastic bags (trash compactor bags are good for this).Other tourers
prefer single compartments that allow them to subdivide the space internally
and not be constrained by the compartments provided by panniers with
pockets/compartments.All
a matter of choice.In fact, some
tourers prefer a mixture of panniers, equipping their
bike with one set (2) of waterproof panniers and another set with
compartmentalized panniers, getting some of the best of both worlds.

Of course, beyond waterproofing & compartmentalization,
the materials used in the pannier construction and a secure method of attaching
the pannier to a rack are equally important.Check Lance Rushing’s web site, http://www.lancerushing.com/bicycling/panniers.cfm,
for a review of various panniers.

Finally, some tourers make their
own panniers, not limiting themselves to what the market provides.Ken Kifer’s web
site, http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/,
discusses how to make your own panniers (as he has done).

What camping
equipment should I carry?

If you plan to stay in motels or other accommodations, the
answer may well be none, although there may still be a reason to carry some
minimal camping gear for emergencies or where accommodations are not
available.That said, if you plan or
expect to camp at some point, you will likely want/need a tent, a sleeping bag,
and a sleeping pad.If you plan to cook,
then cooking facilities will be needed as well.In many respects, these camping needs will be similar to needs for
backpacking with the primary difference that weight need not be as important a
consideration.So any good references
for backpacking gear will generally be relevant to touring as well.

One good source of camping information is the Backpacker
Magazine annual gear guide (March issue for 2002).This guide covers these subjects in more
detail than can be covered in this FAQ.That said, here are a couple of differences
from backpacking to keep in mind.As
stated previously, weight is generally not as important a consideration since
rolling weight (on a bicycle/trailer) is not the same as bearing weight (on
your back).Hence a tourer
is more likely to spring for a bigger, and heavier, tent than a backpacker
would.For instance, a solo tourer might well want a two-person tent on a long tour for
the extra comfort (and space for panniers) for a modest increase in
weight.And a group of two might prefer
a three-person tent.In either case a
freestanding tent (needing stakes only to keep the tent from blowing away) is
probably preferable to a tent that requires staking to keep it erected.But, just as there are backpacker minimalists
who prefer to go light, some camping tourers prefer
just a tarp or a fly.

Sleeping bag decisions evolve around size and weight issues, which usually means deciding between down and
synthetic sleeping bags.Although
synthetic sleeping bags have made great improvements over the years, down
sleeping bags are still lighter and more compressible than synthetic bags but
synthetic bags have the advantage that they can tolerate some moisture without
losing effectiveness like a down sleeping bag will.And a sleeping pad is always a wise choice as
it will extend the temperature range of a sleeping bag by providing insulation
from the ground in addition to providing additional comfort.Thermarest
self-inflating sleeping pads and their equivalents are the frequent choice.

Finally, another consideration for tent, sleeping bag, and
sleeping pad is packing size.Some tourers simply pack their tent and bag on top of the rear
rack where size is not especially critical.Other tourers prefer to pack their tent and
bag inside their rear panniers in which case packing size can be an important
consideration.

The final major camping equipment decision is cooking
facilities for those who choose to cook.Again, the Backpacker Magazine gear guide is a good resource for options
with the availability of fuel for the choice of stove in the land of travel a
major consideration.

What kind of
camera should I carry?

Most tourers will want to carry
some photographic equipment to capture those special moments on tour.The use of photographic equipment is too
complex to discuss here, as is the choice of film vs. a digital camera.However, there are some special
considerations if one is considering carrying a digital camera. In particular,
a digital camera needs batteries and a place is needed to save photos.On a short tour, this may not be much of an
issue as an extra set of batteries and one or two large memory cards, which are
getting cheaper by the day, may be sufficient.On a long tour, these issues can become very significant.

Since most “current” digital cameras eat batteries,
especially when an LCD viewer is used (you probably want a camera where LCD
viewing is optional), a long tour will almost certainly require rechargeable
batteries and a method to recharge them.And unless one has a solar charger, recharging may require periodic
motel accommodation (or a campground with AC power) to allow overnight
charging, although some chargers are fast enough that quick charging during a
meal in a restaurant may be feasible.Another issue related to rechargeable batteries is the type of
battery.Many digital cameras use
proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that may be hard to find or
replace on tour.In that case, it may be
preferable to have a digital camera that uses AArechargeable batteries, which are more
likely to be available on the road.And
in a pinch, a non-rechargeable AA battery is an option, although a short-lived
option.http://www.nimhbattery.com/ is one
source for rechargeable batteries and chargers including a solar charger.

Probably even more important than rechargeable battery
considerations is how to save pictures.Of course, it is always possible to buy enough memory cards to save all
the pictures you will ever take on a tour but that could get to be quite
expensive.More likely, on a longer tour
there will need to be some way to save pictures so the memory card can be
reused.One option, of course, is to
carry a laptop PC and periodically upload the memory card to the PC.For those tourers
who already tour with a PC, this is a natural option.However, for those who don’t plan/want to
carry a PC, another option is a portable storage device, such as the MindStor (previously called a digital wallet).Most of these portable storage devices are
essentially laptop PC hard drives packaged in a standalone unit that is powered
by either AC or (another) rechargeable battery unit.These units are typically available in 5-30
gigabyte sizes.And with current 4M
pixel cameras typically requiring 2M for highest quality JPEG compression, 1G
provides room for 500 pictures.See http://www.steves-digicams.com/digi_accessories.html#storage
for a review of theses portable storage units.A final option for saving pictures is that some photo shops can burn
your photos to a CD, thus requiring carrying enough memory to last between
photo shops.

How
can I protect my belongings while on tour?

When, for a loaded tour, you consider the bicycle and all
the equipment loaded on it, a natural question for new tourers
is how to protect this equipment/investment.Part of the answer to this is there must be some inherent trust in your
fellow man/woman since you cannot absolutely perfectly protect your belongings
100% of the time.But this isn’t
necessarily a whole lot different than having your belongings in a vehicle and
leaving your vehicle at times.If you’ve
ever had your key locked in your car and called either a locksmith or the
police, you have probably been absolutely flabbergasted at how little time it
takes them to unlock the car.All
locking the car does is prevent the casual thief from
driving away with your vehicle.Someone
who really wants your vehicle is going to get it unless you go to extraordinary
lengths to protect it.

The same is pretty much true of your bicycle and
belongings.Fortunately, most of the
time while touring you will probably be outside large cities where thievery is
not likely to be an issue.That said, you will still want to take some precautions to protect
yourself from the casual thief.So it is
always a good idea to have some form of lock to discourage at least the casual
thief.When possible, it’s also a good
idea to keep your bicycle within viewing distance, such as when eating at a
restaurant.If you are with a group, you
may also want to designate one person to stay behind as the protector of the
bicycles while others run errands, sightsee, etc.And finally, it is good practice to keep your
special valuables, such as wallet, passport, etc, in a pouch of some sort that
you always carry with you.Some tourers use a handlebar bag that is easily detachable for
carrying their special valuables.

Of course, overnight is a little different issue.If you are staying at a motel or other
accommodation, you should expect to either be able to keep your bicycle locked
in your room or have the proprietor lock it up someplace for you.In a campground, you will probably want to
lock your bicycle to a tree or picnic table or other stout device and keep your
panniers in your tent/vestibule (if there is room).Some tourers setup
camp so that the bicycle is part of the tent arrangement such that any
finagling with the bicycle should raise an alert.

Most of all, trust your
instincts.Over time you will learn that
most people will go out of their way to help rather than harm you.However, there will still be times, typically
in larger cities, when discretion is warranted and you will want to seek out
appropriate accommodations to safeguard your belongings.

How can I plan my touring route?

There are several answers to this question.First, if you are planning a tour that someone
else has already done, you can “borrow” their route and augment it if
necessary.A frequent question on the phred touring list is “I want to travel from point A to
point B; does anybody have any suggestions for a good route?”.Of course, this type of question works best
where points A and B are within reasonable distance of each other.If A is San Francisco
and B is New York,
this question is not going to work too well.

Another way to “borrow” someone’s tour is find a company
that markets a tour and purchase their map(s).Probably the best example of this is Adventure Cycling (AC) that has
several cross-country tours, a couple of east & west coast tours, and
several other tours.AC prints good,
cycling specific maps developed by AC that lay out a tour in detail,
identifying elevation changes, bicycle shops, accommodations (motels &
campgrounds), etc.You can find these
maps at http://www.adv-cycling.org/
and anyone can purchase them although members get a price break.

Finally, you can plan your tour using regular maps.Of course, the limitation with regular maps
is they do not identify which roads would be good cycling roads, with low
traffic and/or good riding shoulders.However,
reasonable routes can often be derived by avoiding Interstates (which are
generally illegal for bicycle riding except for many Western States where the
Interstate is the only way to get around) and state roads.County and local roads are most likely the
roads that will be the most bicycle friendly.Using this simple technique will allow
fashioning a basic route.Then when on
the road, you can query local folks for their recommendations, and this is
often a good icebreaker for getting to meet and know the locals.Just beware that most locals, unless they
themselves are cyclists, may be pretty clueless about what would be a good
cycling route.Especially be prepared to
be skeptical when a local claims a route is flat.Their concept of flat, from the perspective
of a motorist, is likely to be totally different than your concept as a
cyclist.So you will have to make some
inferences from “local knowledge.”For
instance, you may be able to weed out certain roads because a local will advise
you that a road is traffic intensive and thereby at least eliminate some bad
choices.

One attribute of routes that is of special interest to
cyclists is elevation changes.Delorme’s
TopoUSA
contains topographical data that can be very useful to identify elevation
changes so a tourer understands where difficult
routes lie so a cyclist can take this into account when planning a day’s
ride.See Alex Wetmore’s review of TopoUSA
at http://phred.org/~alex/bikes/topo4.html.This review shows a route profile that
reveals elevation changes.However, be
aware that Topo statistics given for cumulative
climbing is inaccurate, often overestimating the climbing by 30-50%.Nevetheless, the
profiles are very useful since they give a good idea of the climbing involved
even if the statistics are not accurate.

And for some tourers, there is a
certain amount of adventure and satisfaction to fashioning your own route and
ad hocing along the way.How does that song go – “I did it my way…”?

How many
miles should I plan to tour in a day?

your
fitness level and that of any companions – how many miles are you and your
companions capable of doing day after day

the
terrain/weather of your tour – obviously hilly miles are more difficult than
the flats – and challenging weather – heat, cold, headwinds – can be a
major factor

what
you want to get out of your tour – are you someone who wants to stop
frequently and see a lot of sights or do you prefer to put in more miles
and see a little of a lot

In addition to considering these factors, you may want to
budget some time off, perhaps a day per week on long tours.On your off day you can take care of periodic
chores – bike maintenance, laundry, correspondence with friends/family,
etc.Any planned days off can also be
used as a buffer in the event you get behind schedule, maybe due to bike
troubles or weather difficulties.Without any planned time off, getting behind schedule may cause you to
cut your tour short or may force you to tour in bad weather as you attempt to
make up lost miles.Until you have
touring experience and understand what you are capable of and what you like to
do, it would be wise to budget extra time to account for unforeseen
circumstances.

So, a typical tour with short touring days might involve
30-40 miles per day and one with long touring days might involve 70-90 miles
per day with individual day variances to account for terrain, weather,
accommodations, sight-seeing, etc.But
there is no “right” number of miles to tour in a day – it’s all a matter of
choice.

How should
I prepare for my first tour?

There are really two parts to this question:

making
sure you understand how to tour, including basic bicycle maintenance

getting
your body in physical condition for the demands of a tour

For the first part, you should do at least a mini-tour
before your real tour.This will allow
you to familiarize yourself with your loaded bicycle, both how to setup your
bicycle and how it rides (very different from an unloaded bike) and how many
miles you can comfortably cover in a day.A good mini-tour might be to ride from your home to a day’s destination,
stay overnight, and return home the next day.This will force you to pack your bicycle similar to a real tour and ride
it when loaded.Ideally, your route
would include some hills similar to your real tour so you get a feel for the
effort required to cycle a loaded bicycle up a typical hill.This will give help you gauge whether your
gearing is adequate for your real tour.This mini-tour should take place at least several weeks in advance of
the real thing so there is time to make adjustments if necessary.

To get in shape, you mostly need to just ride your
bicycle.Ideally, you would load your
bicycle and ride just as you plan to on your tour, but that would probably be
pretty boring, although at least one tourer has been
known to load bricks into panniers to simulate a touring load.If you are planning a long tour, you need to
be in good enough shape to start your tour and you can, to some extent, ride
your way into shape, starting with easy days.However, if you are planning a shorter tour, anything much less than two
weeks, there really won’t be time to ride your way into shape.Of course, the physical condition you need to
be in will depend on the demands of your tour.Planning a tour with 30-40 mile days will not require the conditioning
of a tour with 70-90 mile days.

There are so many variables in a tour – your current
conditioning, the daily mileage, the length of your tour, the tour terrain, the
weight of your loaded bicycle, the typical weather – that it’s impossible to
give real specifics on what a training program should be.However, as a guideline, assuming a loaded
bicycle tour with daily mileage in the 60+ miles per day, you should probably
be riding at least 100 miles per week, which is not really very much as this is
only 16 miles per day or about one hour per day.In addition to the weekly mileage, you should
be able to ride your unloaded bike comfortably at least 50 miles in a day,
preferably longer and closer to your planned typical daily mileage.Of course, if you plan a real demanding tour,
either long mileage days or difficult terrain, you will likely want to do more
conditioning or plan shorter initial tour days as you ride your way into shape.

If you are planning a tour where you will
be riding your bicycle with little additional weight (e.g., a supported tour),
you should be able to get a pretty good idea of your conditioning needs from
normal riding.Ride your bike
close to the planned daily mileage.If
you can ride your bike comfortably close to this daily mileage, you should be
OK unless your tour is totally different terrain.If you can’t, increase your training mileage
to accomplish this.

Finally, keep in mind that the ideal tour starts with you
and your bike in top notch shape to match the demands of your tour.However, tourers
have started tours in less than ideal condition and have still managed
successful tours.To some extent,
determination can carry you through a tour.It’s just that starting a tour in less than ideal condition, either you
or your bike, increases the chances that you won’t enjoy the tour or may have
to shorten or abandon your tour due to either bike problems or physical
problems.

And remember it’s always wise to consult your physician
before embarking on any physical conditioning program.

How can I
transport my bicycle to my tour start?

Of course, the ideal tour would start and end from your
home, eliminating the need for this question.You may also plan a tour loop where you can transport your bicycle(s)
and equipment via motorized vehicle.In
that case you just need to find a place to safely leave your vehicle near your
tour start while you tour.

However, in many cases you may be traveling a long distance
to the start of your tour and traveling back at the end of your tour.This means you may be dealing with the
airlines, never a pleasant thought but often a necessity.The most straightforward way to transport
your bicycle will be to pack it up and take it with you and pray to your
favorite deity that it arrives with you safe and sound.Some airlines don’t require boxing a bike
(usually boxing is require in North
America) and will take a bike with pedals removed and the
handlebar turned sideways.If you have
the option, it’s not clear which is better as the experience of tourers varies as to which gives better results.Most airlines will also require you to let
the air out of your tires even though physicists will tell you that the air
pressure differential between ground and flight altitude does not warrant this.Trying to argue this logically with airline
personnel may be tempting but almost certainly futile and likely to aggravate
the folks who are already dangerous enough to your precious bicycle equipment.

Unfortunately, most air travel in the USA requires an
extra fee to transport a bicycle, typically $75-$100 (Southwest Airlines is a
“bargain” at $40), even if you are within the baggage limit.Tourers who have
either folding bikes or collapsible bikes (as is possible with S&S
couplers) may be able to disguise their bikes as normal baggage and avoid this
dastardly fee that cyclists have long complained about to no avail.On the other hand, international air travel
may allow bike transportation without an additional fee.

Beyond air travel, there are other options for bicycle
transportation to consider, including rail, bus, and shipping ahead of time via
FedEx or UPS or other shipping company.George
Farnsworth has collected the experiences of tourers
on his Travel with Bicycles (Air/Rail/Other)
web site, including getting in and out of airports on bicycle.You can check his collection at http://www.gfonline.org/bikeaccess.

How can I
keep in touch with family & friends while on the road?

There are several options to consider.First, there is the old fashioned
telephone.Some folks just use phone
cards or calling cards but many folks carry a cellular phone with them both for
general communication and emergencies.However, keep in mind that cellular coverage is not seamless.There are outlying areas where coverage will
be spotty or non-existent.If you
subscribe to cellular service with a national carrier, their web site probably
shows a coverage map but be prepared to view any coverage map with some
skepticism.Coverage is likely to be
good in metropolitan areas but fringe area coverage may well be wishful
thinking on a carrier’s part.

In addition, your cellular phone may be permitted to “roam”
and make calls in areas where your carrier does not have coverage but another
carrier does.This can be fine for
emergency calls but if you plan to use your cellular phone a lot the roaming
charges on another carrier may be prohibitively expensive.However, most of the national carriers
provide global roaming as part of a service package to which you can subscribe.

For USA,
make sure your cellular phone, which will likely be a digital phone, can handle
the old, original analog phone service.USA digital
service consists of incompatible CDMA, TDMA, and GSM technologies.CDMA and TDMA phones are usually dual mode,
capable of handling either analog or digital.Europe uses the GSM digital technology
throughout and incompatibility is not an issue there.

Another communication option is email.Email has the advantage of “asynchronous”
communication, meaning you can trade messages with others without having to be
in simultaneous communication as required with a telephone.The disadvantage of email is that you
generally need to have access to the Internet to read and send email.If you carry a laptop PC, a cellular phone,
and a cellular modem, you may be able to gain internet access from the
convenience of your bicycle or campground or motel but this will depend on
cellular coverage and charged batteries or access to AC power.However, you can often get Internet access in
libraries or Internet cafes (see Internet Café Guide - http://www.netcafeguide.com/) along
your route.Bear in mind, however, that
your email provider needs to have the capability to read your email from the Internet
or you need to subscribe to another email service that can link to your email
provider to provide this service.In any
event, you should check with your email provider to see if they have this
capability before you leave home.http://www.pop3now.com/ and http://www.mail2web.com/ are two sites that
provide Internet access to POP3 email (Post Office Protocol version 3), a
common email type (your email provider can tell you whether they are POP3).

Finally, some tourers have been
very satisfied with a variant of email service called PocketMail™
(http://www.pocketmail.com).With PocketMail,
you purchase a device that is basically a specialized handheld PC with a
keyboard, memory, and an acoustic coupler and subscribe to the PocketMail service.Then you enter one or more email messages via the keyboard.When you are ready to transmit your messages,
you find a phone and send your message(s) by dialing a special 800 number and
holding the phone to the back of the PocketMail
device for transmission over the phone line, eliminating the need for Internet
access.You also receive emails by the
same technique.

How can I
find out about the touring experience of others?

Simple – read about them.Many tourers keep a travelogue and post it on
the Internet.Some post their trip notes
almost daily and you can live vicariously through their trip, almost as if you
were with them.And you can learn about
how they handle touring and what kinds of problems they encounter.Some tourers post
their reports directly to the phred touring list so
you can read them just by subscribing to the touring list.Others post their web site for their
travelogues on the touring list.

Ken Kifer (yes, this guy again)
has his own extensive travelogues and he has an extensive list of links to
travelogues for other folks as well.Check out http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/links/tourlink.htm.Crazy Guy on a Bike (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com) is “A
place for bicycle tourists and their journals” created by Neil Gunton.It has over
200 journals by cyclists for tours all over the world.Furthermore, you can add your own bicycle
touring journal(s) on this site for free.

You can also become a member of Adventure Cycling, both
annual and lifetime memberships are available, and receive their monthly
magazine, Adventure Cyclist.This
magazine contains trip reports, specific touring bicycle reviews including the
annual touring bicycle review, and bicycle technical discussions (often
provided by Sheldon Brown who also contributes to the phred
touring list as well).